Around four million Americans may have Alzheimer’s or dementia. As our population ages the numbers will increase. This not only affects those with the disease but impacts those caring for them. Learning to cope with this terrible progressive process is vital these days.
Communication is a major challenge for someone who sometimes seems fine and other days their thought processes seem confusing.
Acquiring new information is difficult for patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s. This is why they can remember past memories or even specific dates, but they can’t remember who visited them yesterday. Long-term memory requires access to multiple areas of the brain. The disease must be quite advanced when that part of memory fades.
Because Alzheimer’s patients live in the moment, enjoy the present with them. Because of their memory dysfunction they may say they are fine when they are not. They may say they took their medicine when they didn’t. They may say things that aren’t true or become confused over facts. So, there are some things family members can do to help cope.
Understand their thought processing is altered. You may visit every day. But the patient may say you never visit. The patient isn’t trying to hurt the visitor’s feelings as that would require more complicated thinking than they are capable. Rather than being frustrated, simply enjoy the time together. Trying to get them to remember may simply cause more stress.
Avoid a short-term memory question if someone has short-term memory loss. Even a simple question of what they had for breakfast may cause them to answer that they haven’t eaten anything not because they didn’t eat, they just can’t remember.
Don’t spend a lot of time correcting language that is dysfunctional. The patient may have trouble finding the right word. If they ask the same question repetitively, don’t correct them by saying you just answered it. It’s OK to give the same answer that they didn’t remember moments before. Correcting them isn’t going to make it go away. Patience is good guide.
Know that aggressive behavior that is out of character is simply part of the progressive disease process for some. Don’t become angry at the Alzheimer patient or hold it against them. It can be counterproductive trying to drag them back to reality. You simply can’t expect them to conform to their previous understanding. Try to simply adapt to their understanding and play to the loved one’s strengths.
An Alzheimer patient has this strength in long-term memories, for example. Retrieving old stories are a joy for the Alzheimer patient. Accessing their love of music, humor through jokes and spirituality are also things that are hardwired into the brain that can provide much joy for the patient.
The idea is to not frustrate the patient with complex questions or a lot of redirection to present reality that they may struggle processing. Take advantage of their reality, intact long-term memory and things that are hardwired into their brain that they can easily access to create joy for both the patient and caregiver.
If they ask about a loved one who is no longer living, it many times is best to simply say that person isn’t here at the moment but to tell you a story about them. That type of redirection is much more pleasurable for the Alzheimer patient than trying to remind them each time of the person’s death. It allows them to access the long-term pleasant memory rather than maybe a more recent short-term memory that is sad.
Don’t become angry or frustrated because the loved one with Alzheimer or dementia isn’t the same person. Trying to force a reality or force a remembrance will only frustrate.
You can try long-term reminiscing to access those hardwired areas of the brain. You can also try providing concrete choices to questions rather than asking open-ended questions to help them focus. The bottom line is patience and understanding as the disease is terribly difficult for both the patient and caregivers.
Phillip Stephens, DHSc, PA-C, is affiliated with Carolina Acute Care & Wellness Center, P.A.
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October 17, 2020 at 04:31PM
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Patience, understanding are key when caring for Alzheimer’s patient - The Robesonian
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